HopHeadGrady
Well-Known Member
I hope this does not come across the wrong way to some, as that is not my intention. I am by no means a beer snob and enjoy the hobby for what it is. If you brew something you like, thats all that matters.
I have been absent here for about a year as I experienced with different ways to brew. I started with Kits, went to Mash Extract and then to AG (BIAB). I joined a thriving local brew club and thats when things really took off. Up until then I had been playing with extracts and just getting beer flavored drink and crap after tastes etc. I did about 20 different beers, and found 1 or 2 decent recipes but they still lacked flavor and fullness of beer. I was about to give up when a fellow brewer told me to come by and sample his 6 taps of AG brews.
Simply stated, I was floored. I can say if it wasn't for me joining the club and tasting AG, I would have quit the hobby as the extract beer wasn't for me. Again, this is just me. I tried fecking with my water and all sorts of stuff and nothing helped.
Ok, where am I going with this? About 2 months ago it was very cold up here so I couldn't do any AG brewing in my garage. I decided to cash in a gift cert on two Muntons Premium gold kits. I decided to make them bone stock. I did not boil them, they are pre hopped. I added it to boiled water in the fermenter, followed instructions to a T from here. No hop teas or anything.
Well I tapped one and the beer is absolute filth. I am not sure why Muntons sells this crap. I tasted my other Muntons kit too and it as well has that caramel, extract and weak hop oil taste. Its a 1 out of 10.
I am not saying all kits are garbage, but I just cant drink the Craig Tube Kool Aid. Anyone thinking about giving up without trying AG should really try that first. It will sway you back. I guess I shouldn't be shocked at the lack of quality, especially since I have done 50+ AG brews since my last kit.
I should have put my gift cert from LHBS into a bag of 2 row. What a waste.
Sorry if this comes across as a rant, but I was expecting a little more than this with the kits. I knew they weren't going to be that good, but I didn't know it would turn out to be filth.
As for the fermentation, it too was terrible. OG 1055 FG 1022..... I fermented in the same room as all my other beers. I rehydrated the crap yeast they send too. The only good thing is the beer is super clear. It looks good sitting on the bar, decent head etc, then you take a sip and it's like "Hmm this doesn't taste like beer". It like comparing Tang to fresh squeezed OJ IMO. Its just not real tasting.
Both extract kits are going down the drain when I get home. Never again.
IMO Extracts are excellent to get you started and used to the process, thats about it. I am not referring to some of the Northern Mash Extract Kits etc as I haven't drank them yet. Just the canned stuff at my LHBS.
I would rather just do a Festa Brew next time... You get 23L of wort in a box...
I have been absent here for about a year as I experienced with different ways to brew. I started with Kits, went to Mash Extract and then to AG (BIAB). I joined a thriving local brew club and thats when things really took off. Up until then I had been playing with extracts and just getting beer flavored drink and crap after tastes etc. I did about 20 different beers, and found 1 or 2 decent recipes but they still lacked flavor and fullness of beer. I was about to give up when a fellow brewer told me to come by and sample his 6 taps of AG brews.
Simply stated, I was floored. I can say if it wasn't for me joining the club and tasting AG, I would have quit the hobby as the extract beer wasn't for me. Again, this is just me. I tried fecking with my water and all sorts of stuff and nothing helped.
Ok, where am I going with this? About 2 months ago it was very cold up here so I couldn't do any AG brewing in my garage. I decided to cash in a gift cert on two Muntons Premium gold kits. I decided to make them bone stock. I did not boil them, they are pre hopped. I added it to boiled water in the fermenter, followed instructions to a T from here. No hop teas or anything.
Well I tapped one and the beer is absolute filth. I am not sure why Muntons sells this crap. I tasted my other Muntons kit too and it as well has that caramel, extract and weak hop oil taste. Its a 1 out of 10.
I am not saying all kits are garbage, but I just cant drink the Craig Tube Kool Aid. Anyone thinking about giving up without trying AG should really try that first. It will sway you back. I guess I shouldn't be shocked at the lack of quality, especially since I have done 50+ AG brews since my last kit.
I should have put my gift cert from LHBS into a bag of 2 row. What a waste.
Sorry if this comes across as a rant, but I was expecting a little more than this with the kits. I knew they weren't going to be that good, but I didn't know it would turn out to be filth.
As for the fermentation, it too was terrible. OG 1055 FG 1022..... I fermented in the same room as all my other beers. I rehydrated the crap yeast they send too. The only good thing is the beer is super clear. It looks good sitting on the bar, decent head etc, then you take a sip and it's like "Hmm this doesn't taste like beer". It like comparing Tang to fresh squeezed OJ IMO. Its just not real tasting.
Both extract kits are going down the drain when I get home. Never again.
IMO Extracts are excellent to get you started and used to the process, thats about it. I am not referring to some of the Northern Mash Extract Kits etc as I haven't drank them yet. Just the canned stuff at my LHBS.
I would rather just do a Festa Brew next time... You get 23L of wort in a box...